The Miracle of Life
by iloveromance
Summary: A visit to the hospital has Daphne pondering her future and remembering her past. AU continuation of "Flour Child"
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Many thanks to LoisAndClarkSuperfan for her help with a few details in this story. It's funny how one viewing of "Flour Child" after not having seen it in so long could produce so many story ideas at once!**_

Daphne hated hospitals, she absolutely hated them. Ever since she was a little girl, hospitals were places associated with pain, both physical and emotional. She'd experienced the injuries and illnesses of her brothers, her parents and even her own in hospitals just like this one. But the worst visits were those where she said goodbye to those that she loved, like her Uncle John or Grammy Moon.

The sudden illness of her Uncle John took them all by surprise, but he was the one who took the news the hardest. He was the healthiest person Daphne had ever met and very athletic, so it seemed cruel and unfair that he was dealt such a terrible fate. A man who loved life but not going to church, he suddenly began going regularly; a move that frightened them all. He'd always been so kind to Daphne and her family and she knew that it was just a matter of time before the inevitable happened. Sure enough, less than a year later, and shortly after she and her family sat at his bedside telling Uncle John how much they loved him, he passed away peacefully.

But the sadness she felt when her Uncle John passed away came nowhere close to the pain of losing her Grammy Moon. Daphne loved her grandmother with her whole heart and she was the most wonderful person in the world. She was always there with a gentle hug or a loving touch and she never failed to offer a kind word or a few words of wisdom that Daphne could carry with her always. And it was her last visit with Grammy Moon that broke Daphne's heart.

She sat at her grandmother's bedside, sobbing despite the advice of her family to come home with them. They knew that she would be gone soon and they had prepared themselves for the moment. But Daphne was in denial. And Daphne was still holding her grandmother's hand hours later when the kind hearted woman passed away, leaving Daphne with a feeling of emptiness like she'd never known.

Now as Daphne stepped into the hospital elevator, she brushed away the tears that stained her cheeks. She shouldn't be crying about such things. This particular visit to the hospital wasn't to say goodbye, but to say hello.

Her girlfriend Sheryl had just given birth to her first child, a daughter. And when the call came early that morning, Daphne couldn't wait to pay mother and daughter a visit. She wanted so much to share in the joy because Sheryl had always been there for her. If it hadn't been for Sheryl and her much-needed support, Daphne would never have known about the agency that led to her job taking care of Mr. Crane, helping to rehabilitate him after he was shot in the hip. And she wouldn't have met Frasier or his brother Niles.

At the thought of Niles and his kindness and friendship, she smiled, grateful to be happy once more.


	2. Chapter 2

Clutching the gift in her hand, a soft brown teddy bear with a big blue bow, Daphne's excitement increased with each step. And when she reached Sheryl's room, she could hardly control her beating heart. Softly she knocked on the door and pushed it open.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Come in."

She walked into the room smiling at her friend. Sheryl was positively glowing as she cradled the pink bundle in her arms. And when Daphne moved toward the bed to get a closer look, the sight made her gasp. "Oh Sheryl, she's beautiful!"

The words were sincere, but they didn't come close to how beautiful the little girl really was.

"Come and meet Elizabeth."

Daphne's heart skipped a beat and it was hard to ignore the tinge of sadness. "Elizabeth was me Grammy Moon's name."

Sheryl smiled. "I know. That's why I picked it."

Daphne's eyebrows rose. "I don't understand."

"I know how much you loved your grandmother. You talk about her all the time; so much in fact that I feel like I knew her. And…. Well… you've done so much for me; always being there for me and listening to my problems… especially lately. I know I couldn't have been easy to deal with. Pregnant women usually aren't, from what I've heard. But I want you to be a part of Elizabeth's life and I couldn't think of a better way to do that than to name her after your grandmother."

Tears fell onto Daphne's cheeks and she stared at her friend in disbelief. But it only took seconds for Daphne to engulf Sheryl in a hug. "I don't know what to say. Thank you so much. This means so much to me. Thank you. I…"

A soft cry and movement reminded Daphne that they weren't alone and she gasped, stepping back. "Oh sod, have I hurt her?"

"No, she's fine."

"I'm sorry … I guess I got carried away. I-." she stopped when she got a closer look at the baby nestled between them. The angel with the cherubic face and soft black hair was the sweetest, most beautiful sight that Daphne had ever seen.

"Would you like to hold her?"

Daphne's eyebrows rose in surprise, for she hadn't expected this question. Elizabeth was barely a few hours old and it felt wrong. She should be with her mother, not with a stranger. And suddenly she couldn't help but feel nervous. She'd never held a baby before and she worried about doing or saying something that was wrong.

"Are you sure it's all right?"

"Of course it is." Sheryl replied. "Here… Just hold out your arms like this."

Before Daphne could respond, Elizabeth was placed in her arms. It was hard to believe that this moment was real. She smiled at the baby, lightly rubbing the sweet angel's cheek with her finger. She never expected it to feel as smooth as silk. "Aren't you sweet?" she whispered, hoping not to disturb the baby. But when Elizabeth smiled, Daphne's heart warmed. And then unexpectedly, Elizabeth's tiny hand grasped a strand of Daphne's hair, a gesture that made Daphne laugh. "You've got me hair, don't you?"

Suddenly the baby began to cry and the cheerful mood was broken. "I'm sorry, Sheryl. I was just playing with her. I didn't mean to upset her."

"You didn't. It's all right." Sheryl replied. "She's probably just hungry." Sheryl pushed a button and a nurse entered the room.

"How's our little one doing?"

"I think she's hungry." Sheryl said. "And I'm new at this, so…"

"Of course. Let me help you." The nurse said. "Just let me adjust your gown and we'll place your daughter close to your chest so you can feed her."

"I don't want to hurt her." Sheryl said, looking worriedly at the nurse and then at Daphne.

But the nurse amazingly understood Sheryl's fears.

"You won't. It's just a little scary the first time but trust me you'll get the hang of it. Al right, just hold still and I'll get this adjusted for you."

Daphne couldn't help watching as the nurse moved Sheryl's nightgown and placed the baby against her. Within seconds, Elizabeth was enjoying what must have been her first meal.

Daphne knew she should leave, because this was a private moment between mother and daughter. But she couldn't pull herself away. It was so beautiful and she wanted to stay and savor it forever. She smiled at the intimate moment and when the baby finished eating, Daphne kissed mother and daughter's cheeks and smiled.

"I should go."

"Oh please stay, Daphne." Sheryl pleaded. "We can talk for a while."

The nurse took Elisabeth, giving Sheryl one last opportunity to kiss her daughter and then carried the baby out of the room.

"No, I really should be going." Daphne said reluctantly. "You need to rest and time to bond with Elizabeth. I'm so happy for you and I'll see you soon. Oh! I almost forgot!"

"What?"

She turned and crossed the room clutching the teddy bear and returned to the bed. "This is for Elizabeth. It's a bit silly, but-"

Sheryl laughed and pressed the bear's soft fur against her cheek. "It's not silly at all. This is perfect. Elizabeth's first present. She'll love it. Thank you, Daphne. And thank you for coming."

Daphne kissed Sheryl's cheek and hugged her once more. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Now get some rest and I'll see you soon."

As Daphne walked out of the room she couldn't help brushing tears of happiness from her cheeks, and prayed that one day she'd be as happy as Sheryl.


	3. Chapter 3

Daphne headed down the hallway, straight for the door marked "Women" and pushed it open. For a few moments, she could only stand and let the tears stream down her cheeks; a mixture of happiness and her own scattered emotions. It was strange how something like the birth of a child could affect her so profoundly.

After crying all of the tears she was sure that she had, Daphne emerged from the bathroom minutes later, her face damp from the water she'd splashed on her tear-streaked cheeks and made her way back to the elevator. For once she was grateful that she was alone in the sparse hallway, with no one to see her like this. One emotional breakdown was enough for the time being. It was best to head home where she could get back to her normal routine and try not to think about her uncertain future.

But as she passed Sheryl's room once more, she couldn't resist taking another peek. Quietly she pushed the door open and smiled at the sight of her friend who was sound asleep. Elizabeth of course, was nowhere in sight, most likely having been taken to the nursery by the nurse to take a nap after her first meal. It might have been a silly thought but Daphne was touched beyond measure that she had been there to witness a baby's first meal.

Through the tiny glass window she could see the brown stuffed bear with the blue bow sitting among bouquets of flowers and gifts. She prayed that Elizabeth would love the bear as much as the other gifts and she hoped that Sheryl would one day tell Elizabeth about the wonderful woman for whom her daughter was named.

She brushed new tears away and walked down the hallway to the elevator. But she wanted so much to see the sweet baby one more time. It was wrong, being so obsessed over a child who wasn't hers, but she couldn't help herself. And without giving it another thought, she headed to the nursery. However, as she neared the large glass windows in the corner of the hallway, Daphne gasped in pleasant surprise.

For there, standing with his back to her, looking into the window… was Niles.


	4. Chapter 4

Never in her life had she imagined to find Niles Crane in a place like this. But if she were honest with herself, she'd imagined him here a number of times. She couldn't deny that in the course of the friendship she shared with her boss' brother she'd come to think of Niles in a very different (and perhaps illicit) way. But he was so sweet and handsome, always complimenting her and he always knew the right thing to say. Somehow he could always tell when she was hurting or upset; something that few people understood.

And for that, she loved him.

Suddenly she felt guilty as the memory of her imagination resurfaced. It was wrong, having daydreams (and even more so, dreams at night) about her friend, but they came nonetheless. And now the memory (or was it a vision?) was crystal clear…

_She and Niles were in a small hospital room, smiling tearfully as she held their newborn son in her arms. It was amazing that two people in love could create something so beautiful. She was happier than she'd ever been. Finally she had a baby of her own. It was almost as though-_

"Daphne!"

At the unexpected sound of his voice, she whirled around, ridiculously afraid that he'd been reading her thoughts. Never before had she felt such embarrassment and she was certain that her cheeks were as red as they felt. To say nothing of her racing heart.

"H-hello, Dr. Crane. What are you doing here?"

"Well, Frasier and I came to-."

"Oh Right. Dr. Crane's colleague. Well, I certainly hope that your brother appreciates what id di for him, considering all the trouble we went to, copying over those signatures. What was he thinking, mistaking the man's get-well card for a birthday card? My hand still aches with writer's cramp and I have a feeling that your brother's forgotten all about what a bloody mess that was!"

When Niles merely smiled, Daphne realized that she'd been babbling. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. Listen to me, going on and on about me problems. I didn't mean to interrupt you. You were telling me why you were here?"

"Yes. Well I did accompany Frasier here when he came to visit Clarence but I had some gifts to deliver to the hospital staff who took such good care of Maris when she was here for her plastic surgery."

Daphne smiled, trying not to think about the fact that Niles was newly separated. But there was no getting around that fact or ignoring the impression on his left hand from the gold wedding band he'd worn for so many years. "I'm sure they appreciated the gesture. That was very thoughtful of you, Dr. Crane. I doubt many people would have done the same thing."

To her surprise, he hung his head low. "I wish that Maris felt the same way."

Daphne's heart went out to him and she took his hand. "I'm sorry things didn't work out with your marriage. I know it must hurt."

He nodded his eyes still on the floor. "Thank you, Daphne. That means a lot to me."

"So where is your brother?"

"Oh… He left."

Daphne's mouth fell open in surprise. "Without you?"

"Well, yes but it's okay. He said he had something to take care of. Oh, but just as he was leaving, we had a wonderful surprise!"

She smiled at the way his eyes lit up. "What happened?"

"Arlene came by with her new son, Nathan."

"Arlene? You mean the one from the taxi?"

"That's the one."

"How exciting! Which one is Nathan?"

They peered into the window at the many rows of babies, wrapped in pink or blue blankets. "Over there." Niles replied pointing to a little baby boy. "Third row from the back."

The sight warmed Daphne's heart when she caught a glimpse of the baby's face. "Isn't he sweet?"

"I even got to hold him!" Niles said, sounding very proud of himself. "It was the first time I'd ever done that; held a baby. it was the most incredible thing I'd ever experienced."

"What about Frederick?"

"I wasn't there when Frederick was born and the few times I saw him as a baby, Frasier never let me hold him." Niles explained.

Daphne was appalled. "You mean your brother wouldn't let you hold Frederick? Your own nephew?" That's terrible, Dr. Crane! I'm so sorry!"

"It's all right, Daphne. I'm sure Frasier had his reasons for it. He does have a tendency to be overprotective and I'm sure I'd be the same way if I had a son of my…" His voice trailed away, but she knew exactly what he was thinking and her heart ached for him.

"Dr. Crane…"

"Well… at least I got to hold Nathan." He finished, after a long silence.

"I would have liked to have seen you with a baby in your arms. I bet it was a sight to behold."

But Niles smile disappeared once more. "Oh, it was a sight, all right."

"Did something happen?"

"Yes… Um… No… I can't even say the words."

Gently she put her hand on his back. "Oh Dr. Crane I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. If you don't want to talk about it, I understand but you can tell me anything. I hope you know that. I promise I won't tell a soul, or ridicule you in any way."

When he sighed and said nothing, she returned her attention to the babies. The last thing she wanted to do was to make him feel worse than he already did. She wanted so much for him to be happy.

But suddenly the silence between them was broken.


	5. Chapter 5

"I hurt him, Daphne!" he nearly shouted, his voice pained. "I-I didn't mean to, but he started to cry and I couldn't understand why. I thought that maybe it was because he was afraid of being in a world so big and he was so small, but then Arlene said-."

Daphne blinked back tears of sympathy for her friend. She'd never seen him quite so upset before, even when he announced that his marriage was suffering. "What did she say?" she whispered.

He sighed deeply, his face filled with anxiety. "She said that I was bending his leg back! Dear God! I can't believe that I physically hurt a newborn child! How am I ever going to be a good father-or even a good person-if I can't even hold a baby without causing him or her physical harm?"

Overwhelmed with compassion for him, she took his hand and stroked his palm softly with her thumb. "Oh, Dr. Crane I know it was unintentional. Babies are fragile! A little too fragile if you ask me!" She blinked back tears once more, trying to dissolve the memory of holding Elizabeth. She had barely met the little girl and she loved her with all of her heart. But thinking about that moment reminded her of her own uncertain future. And she was surprised at how much it hurt.

He was staring at her now, intrigued by her statement. And then he smiled. "Thank you, Daphne. That makes me feel better. And you're right. Babies are fragile. But can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"You never told me what you were doing here."

"Oh… me friend Sheryl just had a baby as well. I couldn't wait to see her for myself."

Niles' eyes lit up, making him even more handsome. "Ah…. Boy or girl?"

Daphne smiled, staring into the window and then gasped in delight as she pointed to a baby wrapped in a pink blanket. "A girl. Oh look! There she is! Front row, second from the left. Isn't she sweet? Look at her little hands!"

"She's beautiful." Niles said. "What's her name?"

"Elizabeth. Sheryl named her daughter after me Grammy Moon. When she told me, I just couldn't believe it. I-." she swallowed hard as the beautiful babies blurred before her eyes.

"Daphne, are you all right?"

"I-I don't know what you mean." She lied.

"You're crying."

"Oh… I didn't even notice." She lied again, brushing the tears from her cheeks. But she knew that he wasn't fooled, by the way he reached into his pocket and removed his handkerchief, handing it to her in what was the most thoughtful gesture she could have imagined. "Thank you." She said, blotting her eyes with the soft cloth.

"Daphne, what's wrong? I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't. I guess seeing Sheryl with Elizabeth reminded me that I'm getting older. And at this rate, I might never become a mother." She tried to push the thought from her mind, but it settled itself in her heart, bringing more tears and she could no longer look Niles in the eyes. "I'm sorry…"

The unexpected embrace was welcome and she leaned against him and closed her eyes as he ran his hand up and down her back.

"You'll be a wonderful mother someday, Daphne." He said softly. "I have no doubt about that. You're kind, caring, and the most wonderful, compassionate person I've ever met. It will happen someday. I promise."

She smiled and squeezed him gently, resisting the strong urge to kiss his lips. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. And you'll make a wonderful father."

He drew back and stared at her in surprise. "You really think so?"

Now she had no choice but to kiss his cheek. "Any child would be lucky to have you for a father."

His cheeks flushed, making him even more handsome and he grinned like a little boy. "Thank you, Daphne."

They stood in silence once again, looking through the window at the sweet little babies. But then he surprised her a second time. "Daphne, what would you name him or her… if you had a child?"

Daphne thought for a moment, intrigued by the question. "I've always liked the name David for a boy. But for a girl, I'm not quite sure."

He smiled at her answer. "David is a great name. I hope you have a son someday, Daphne."

"I hope you do too, Dr. Crane."

Silence fell between them yet again and they turned toward the window to resume looking at the rows of babies on the other side of the glass. And suddenly it seemed only natural to slip her hand into his and lean her head against his shoulder. Two friends pondering their futures.

THE END


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